The Ark Child Okeford
Day nursery in Blandford Forum, DT11. Part of the Dorset council area.
St. Nicholas C of E Primary School, Station Road, Child Okeford, Blandford Forum, DT11 8ELWhat Ofsted found
Good Inspected 26 February 2025
| Judgement | Grade |
|---|---|
| Overall effectiveness | Good |
| Quality of education | Good |
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Personal development | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
The second of the four grades: a good standard of care and learning. Ofsted now gives report cards instead, so this grade stays until the next inspection.
What a place could cost
The Ark Child Okeford sets its own prices. These are the averages for day nurseries in South West, for 50 hours a week in term time once the 30 funded hours are taken off.
| Child's age | You pay a week | About a month |
|---|---|---|
| From 9 months to 2 | £145 | £460 |
| 2 years old | £133 | £422 |
| 3 to 4 years old | £122 | £388 |
A month here is 38 term-time weeks spread over 12 months. Work out your own hours or check your free hours.
The Ark Child Okeford against Blandford Forum
| The Ark Child Okeford | Blandford Forum average | |
|---|---|---|
| Places | 42 | 55 |
| Ofsted outcome | Good | 57% rated Good or better |
Other nurseries close by
Questions parents ask about The Ark Child Okeford
- What Ofsted grade does The Ark Child Okeford have?
- The Ark Child Okeford was rated Good at its inspection on 26 February 2025, under the grading Ofsted used before report cards.
- How many children can The Ark Child Okeford take?
- Ofsted registers The Ark Child Okeford for 42 places at any one time. The average day nursery in Blandford Forum has 55.
- How much does The Ark Child Okeford cost?
- The Ark Child Okeford sets its own fees, so ask it for a price list. As a guide, the average nursery in South West charges £181 a week for 25 hours for a child under 2, before any free hours.
- Does The Ark Child Okeford offer 30 hours free childcare?
- Any nursery on the Ofsted Early Years Register can offer the funded hours, but each one chooses how many funded places it has and what it charges for meals and extras. Ask The Ark Child Okeford how it offers them.
- When was The Ark Child Okeford last inspected?
- Ofsted last inspected The Ark Child Okeford on 26 February 2025. The full report is on the Ofsted website.
- Which nurseries are near The Ark Child Okeford?
- Nearby in DT11: Muddy Monkies, Archbishop Wake Nursery, Sunbeams Shillingstone.
Nursery list and inspection outcomes from Ofsted's register of childcare providers, as at 30 June 2026.
Fees shown are regional averages from the Coram Family and Childcare Survey 2026, not any one nursery’s price. Confirm with the nursery before enrolling.
Eligibility rules are the government’s (childcarechoices.gov.uk). Whether a nursery offers the funded hours, and what it charges for meals and consumables, is the nursery’s decision; ask for its funded-hours terms in writing.